3 key pieces of coronavirus info from task force immunologist

Anthony Fauci.
(Image credit: Screenshot/NBC)

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the network rounds Sunday, where he continued to deliver information about the coronavirus pandemic to American audiences.

Fauci has said things will get worse in the United States before they get better, but he's also made it clear Americans still have the opportunity to reduce the virus' affect and avoid European-style lockdowns, so long as they limit social interactions and commit to other preventative measures.

That optimism isn't an excuse to relax, though. Fauci doesn't envision the U.S. needing to take such drastic steps as banning all domestic travel, but he still prefers the country be "overly aggressive," and encouraged people to avoid bars, restaurants, and non-essential travel. As he put it, he'd rather be criticized for overreacting than doing too little.

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He also had a message for Americans in Europe — there is no need to rush back. President Trump's travel ban doesn't apply to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, Fauci reminded viewers while indicating it's better to avoid massive crowds at airports that could risk spreading infections. Tim O'Donnell

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.